Dusk and Dawn
by ZMelia
Summary: "There's no coincidences in this world, only hitsuzen." Syaoran's adventures and Watanuki's wish responsibilities collide when both parties are suddenly transported to a whole new dimension due to an unknown force. Facing dangerous task, they set out to find answers along with the new world's former queen, the Dark Queen.
1. Cosmos

**Chapter 1 - Cosmos**

"Hm?"

"What the-?"

A liquid barrier landed and popped, releasing its occupants unto the space it was sent to. It was unexpected, to almost everyone of them.

"Is this some kind of time distortion?" A rough voice asked, annoyed.

"Yahoooo, a new world! A new world!"

"Will you shut up you damn white bun!"

"Syaoran?"

Startled, Syaoran glanced behind him.

"Watanuki.. You're here as well?"

"Mm." Watanuki responded.

"Ah you're here!" The white bun exclaimed.

"Yo." Kuro bump fists another guy, tall and quiet with a black bun on his shoulder.

"Yo," the quiet guy responded, fist bumping Kuro.

"Brought any sake?"

"Didn't have a chance, never thought I'd be seeing you guys." The quiet guy replied.

"Yay we're together!" An exact same bun replied, only this one is a black one. Both buns hugged each other, bouncing around merrily.

"Do you know where we are?" The blonde lanky mage asked Watanuki.

"I'm not too sure to be quite honest. Frankly, I have no idea at all."

"This doesn't look like a world we've been to," Syaoran examined their surroundings. The place was dark, with furniture cluttered around. Books and a lot of paper seemed to be spread around.

"Awfully dark in here," The rough voice commented.

"Just like you, Kuro-tan," the mage answered teasingly.

"Didn't I tell you to stop calling me that?!"

"Kuro-tan! Kuro-tan!" Both buns repeated endlessly.

"Shut up!"

Watanuki pushed his round glasses on the bridge of his nose, examining the place. "Someone definitely lives here," he commented, touching the messy bed on the right side of the room.

"Hey, there's a staircase outside," The guy called Kuro-tan called the group's attention as he opened the door that led to the exit, revealing a staircase outside.

Everyone descended the stairs, and saw that the house they were in wasn't just a simple house. Down here the room was more spacious, its walls decorated elegantly. Just like the room above, the place had little light, although this room was organized and clean.

"This place is kind of eerie."

Just then, every one sensed another presence. A presence too strong. Alarmed, they all stared at the one place where the presence can be felt.

"Your highness, what do we do? It seems like we have intruders."

The blonde mage flinched, hearing the voice.

"Fye? You alright?" The white bun asked, bouncing on the mage's shoulder.

"I know that voice.." Fye trailed off, his face haunted.

"Of course you'd recognize my voice," the presence replied. Little by little, room lit up, till the room was completely filled with bright lights.

Shocked, Fye stood frozen, his vivid blue eyes wide as he took in the person in front of him.

"Brother..?"

The man who looked exactly the same as Fye, smiled. "Long time no see, Yuui."

"Wait a minute, why is Fye's brother here? I thought he was dead?" Kuro asked, confused and alarmed.

"We apologize for the intrusion," Watanuki started, gazing at the woman who sat on an elegant chair beside Fye's twin brother. "We'd like to know where we are right now."

"What brought you here wasn't a coincidence," the lady spoke, "Only hitsuzen."

Watanuki, startled, stared at the woman. "_Those words.."_

"Although it is quite puzzling, you shouldn't be here. All of you aren't dead," the lady continued.

Everyone could only stare at her, confused and lost.


	2. Regal

**Chapter 2 - Regal**

"What do you mean by that?"

"Just what I mean," the lady replied. She stood, her long black hair sliding through her deep red kimono. Just the way she looked, her aura, her clothes. It just reminded Watanuki too much of _her._

"What?"

"This world is never to receive travelers unless they are dead." She looked at all of them dead in the eye.

"I'm actually quite surprised that whatever brought you here, transported you here, right inside my house."

"I'm sorry, I'm still confused." Syaoran stared at the lady in front of him. Such aura, he never met anyone with such power before. This person was even more powerful than Yuko.

The lady sighed, and went back to sit down on her chair, beside Fye's twin brother.

"This world is only for the dead. Those who died from any other dimension are eventually transported here. Though their bodies have been buried and rotten, their souls are sent here to be judged. Kind of like heaven or hell." Fye's twin brother explained while looking at his brother. He smiled at him, causing Fye to bite his lip.

"So you mean, this is the spirit world?"

"It is similar, but very different. Souls come and go in this world after being judged. The judgment of the souls are quite crucial and is performed immediately right after they are sent here." Fye's brother further explained.

"And that's why you guys shouldn't be here," the lady spoke once again.

"Because we aren't dead." Watanuki confirmed. "The fact that we aren't sent to judgment right after transporting here confirms that."

"Correct."

"Who would send us here then, if this is only for the ones who passed on?" Kuro asked no one.

"It is unknown yet. It is quite troubling. Somebody might be trying to trample the balance again."

Every one remained silent. Everything was too much to take in, nevertheless the group understood as much.

"Anyways, you are allowed to stay here for awhile. There are not many rooms available, but I hope it is enough." The lady offered.

"Thank you." Syaoran smiled at the lady. The lady stood up and held on to Fye's brother, about to leave.

"Mistress?" Watanuki called.

Fye's brother stopped and waited for his beautiful lady. "Yes?" the lady spoke without looking.

"Um, nothing. Nevermind." Watanuki smiled at her. The lady looked back at the young boy.

"You've grown."

Puzzled as to what the lady meant, Watanuki observed the woman. She was definitely not Yuko-san, but the lady held almost the same aura as his beloved Yuko. And yet, this woman was different. Way different.

"Fye, will you show our guest their rooms?" The lady spoke to her assistant as she held on to him.

"Of course, your majesty."

"I told you not to address me that any longer."

"To me, you are still the queen of this world. No one can ever replace you, your majesty." Fye replied.

"Well then, make yourselves at home. I'm sorry for the cluttered mess of my house. Nonetheless, don't be shy to ask my assistant for anything." The lady left the room, the dark aura of the place vanishing.

"So shall we go on ahead?" Fye's brother smiled.

Fye, the assistant, lead the group to the rooms. "There are only 3 available rooms. They have never been used, but we had these extra rooms in case travelers like you would come to this world."

None of the group wanted to forget what Fye's brother implied.

Syaoran's group chose to stay in one room, and Watanuki in the other. "Doumeki?" Watanuki called.

"Hm?"

"Why don't you go ahead with the Mokonas in the other room?"

Doumeki and the Mokonas went ahead to the other room as they were told.

"So what do you think of this place?" Syaoran asked Watanuki.

"It seems we are safe here. Although this is an odd world to be in. I've never heard of this dimension before."

"Neither have we, this is the first time we've been here." Syaoran replied.

"I'm a bit troubled why it even transported me and Doumeki here."

"How did you even get transported here?" Syaoran asked.

"We were having dinner until all of a sudden a wind picked up and dragged everyone in. I hope Maru and Moro are okay back home."

Meanwhile, Kuro tapped Fye's shoulder. "You okay?"

Fye snapped from his reverie and glanced at his close friend. "Yeah. I was just..surprised."

"Most people would be after seeing their dead brother alive and talking."

"I just never would have thought I'll see him like this. For a second I thought he was alive."

"But he isn't," Kuro continued, "The lady did say only dead people come here."

"So should we call you by your real name then?" Kuro asked. "It'd be confusing if you guys have both had the same name."

"…yeah." Fye's eyes cast down. "It's not my real name anyways. Call me Yuui."

"Yuui's a nice name." Syaoran commented. Fye looked up at him as Syaoran smiled at him, hinting him that Fye shouldn't be affected by the current events.

"I do wonder who that woman is. And why my brother would be servicing her." Yuui wondered

"From what we heard, she used to be the queen of this world." Watanuki mused. "Someone with authority. For someone like her to have such great unimaginable power…"

"And her power is really different from the usual power we've seen so far," Kuro commented.

"You felt it too, right?" Watanuki asked Syaoran, to which he nodded. "Yeah, very different. Her aura was mixed with something dark and it seemed malicious, yet all I felt was.."

"Loneliness." Yuui finished, eyes cast down once again.

Everyone was silent for awhile, till Kuro broke the ice.

"Yo kid, who was with you? That definitely wasn't Doumeki."

"Ah well, he's a Doumeki. He's the great grandson of the Doumeki you know."

"Wait, so you mean…"

"Yeah.. Maybe Doumeki and Kohane-chan is here as well." Watanuki smiled at them.

"Anyways," Watanuki stood up, "We should try to rest first. We should ask the lady the details tomorrow. For now, take a rest. I'm sure you had a rough journey." With that, he left the room.

"That kid," Kuro observed, "has matured a lot."

"Yeah…" Syaoran smiled that did not reach his eyes.

"Whatever problem we have to face, I hope it won't hurt Watanuki."


	3. Assay

**Chapter 3 - Assay**

"Buy one stack of strawberries get one free!"

"Goats for sale!"

The bustling street of the Madison Moore Town was what made the small town alive. Children running around, mothers yelling at their kids to stay calm and behave as they shop, people shouting as they sold their own fruits and vegetables. It was a normal looking town.

"These people.." Kuro trailed off.

"It's so unlikely when this is supposed to be the world of the dead." Yuui commented.

"Hey mister, want an orange?"

A small young girl tugged on Syaoran's cloak as she handed him the fruit.

"Thanks," Syaoran took the orange.

"Peeeeel it! Mokona wants orange!" Says the white Mokona.

"Mokona wants sake!" Says the black one on Kuro's shoulder. Kuro snatched the fluffy black bun, babbling at it.

"Why is this with us anyways?" Kuro grumbled as he stared, annoyed at the black bun.

"Watanuki says he doesn't need help with cooking. Says Mokona could help with Kuro-tan!"

"Kuro-tan!" The other Mokona exclaimed.

"Oh god, two of them is even worse." Kuro groaned.

The group checked out the busy town, walking the rough road as they observe the citizens. The town had an old western style that had a bit of oriental decorations. It was like a twist of the west and east part of the world with an amazing sparkle.

Kuro noticed Syaoran stopped midway as the boy stared at a store on their right. As Kuro stopped, so did the group.

"Hey kid—" Kuro stopped when he saw what Syaoran saw. It was no wonder why Syaoran stopped in his tracks.

"Sakura's feather..?" Yuui said in disbelief.

"It's not Sakura's feather, I can guarantee that!" White Mokona popped in Kuro's sight.

There float a feather so similar to Sakura's feather, even with its slight pink markings, encased in a glass display in an odd shop.

"It's closed." Yuui commented as he looked up at the sign by the door.

The group moved on after Syaoran silently contemplated at the display. Kuro finally gave in and bought wine for the Black Mokona, who kept on pesting Kuro for hours. The group intended to acquire more information about the world they were in since it didn't seem like Fye and the Queen were giving them anything, especially when they were always nowhere to be found.

Until Yuui found something rather interesting in the town's information board.

The group walked to Yuui to see what he was staring at. On the board, a flyer was poorly posted, with a beautiful blue eyed blonde woman wearing a crown, smiling. Below her image there written 'Light Queen' in big old fashioned letters, and the rest of the words were too foreign to understand. What took the group by surprise was that the woman in the picture resembled the Queen who let them stay. The woman in the picture obviously was the angelic version.

"So there's a Light Queen..?"

"Are you guys travelers?"

The group glanced to the side at a petite plump woman dressed in what seem like rugged clothes. The group faced the woman as Syaoran said, "Yes we are, may I ask who might this be?" He pointed at the flyer, barely sticking on the board.

"Oh her majesty? How can you not know her? Even travelers should know her. She's the reigning queen, Light Queen, her majesty," she smiled at the photo, "She governs the entire universe, and holds the highest position a royal could have in the entire dimensions that ever existed." She paused. "Except for one though. I don't know what it is though."

"But, isn't the Dark Queen the queen?" Kuro raised one brow.

"The Dark Queen?" She looked dubious. "I have never heard such a queen."

The group was silent in disbelief.

"Unless you speak of the father of the Light Queen, the Dark King. But he passed away two centuries ago along with the previous Light Queen." She looked saddened as she glanced down.

"This is confusing.." Syaoran glanced at Fye who was silently musing. "Seems like our _queen_ is hiding a lot of things to us."

A number of footsteps and hooves tapping on the ground was heard in the distance. Everyone turned their heads to the source to see people wearing dark uniform, with red markings and linings which was definitely not similar to the clothing of the townspeople. One particular soldier stood out, his ebony spiked hair glistening despite the sun setting down. The man gave out orders in a different language, and the rest of the soldiers set out to leave. The man, who seemed to be of a high position stood there for what seemed like hours, until he looked behind him, at Syaoran's group.

A chill went through everyone's back as the soldier stared at them directly with his dark sharp eyes. _Even_ Kurogane felt intimidated at this man's presence. Moments passed till the soldier simply grabbed his horse and rode away, following where the other soldiers went.

"Who was that?" Kuro narrowed his eyes where the man was.

"I think that was Prince Dark," the petite lady said. "The Light Queen's brother."

"His name is Dark? That's ironic."

"Not really. In fact, Prince Dark is the Dark Prince."

"Wha—?"

"Prince Dark is Dark Prince!" The Mokona's repeated in a chant.

"His name is Dark and he's a Dark Prince." Kuro made a face.

Syaoran and Yuui stared off the distance, then looked at each other.

They needed more answers.


	4. Reincarnates

**Chapter 4 - Reincarnates**

Syaoran was determined to understand the puzzle set out by this world. His endless questions were ready to bomb the queen, who gave them home and shelter. Everything was too confusing for them and they need to know the answers before things could get dangerous. In fact, they might already be in danger. In the hands of an unknown queen who they thought was the real queen. Well, Watanuki did say that the queen they knew of was the previous queen. But the lady said that the previous queen was a Light Queen. And the queen they knew was obviously the opposite. Unless something happened so dreadful that the queen became so..ominous.

Walking briskly in the residence of whom they seek, the group held their stance when out of nowhere, a man in a white cloak with intricate gold patterns stopped in their way. He wore a short black hair with his bangs swept to the side, his purple eyes narrowed into slits at them, his slim yet lean body stood with power.

"I suggest you back off."

The sharp voice cut through the air as tension rose between the man in a white cloak and everyone else. "What is the meaning of this?" Yuui shot back at the stranger.

"Her majesty will answer all of your questions in due time. For now, I suggest you back," the man stepped forward, "_off_." And another.

"What makes you think we'll follow what you say?" Kuro suppressed his rising anger.

The stranger made a 'hmph' sound and turned around, walking away from them.

...

"Majesty."

The woman dressed in a loose deep red kimono turned her head to her left.

"It's getting worse."

The voice, deep velvet continued, "The distortions are getting worse in that planet. We have little time left."

"I'd make a joke about how seriously ridiculous and ugly the portals opening in the supposed untouched planet, but it really isn't pretty. The condition that is." A tall, lean man with black hair walked out of the shadows, shrugging his shoulders. His hair is spiked differently, with one long spike fell to the right side of his face, and the rest of his hair is spiked in one direction towards the back. "Are we really gonna help 'em? Those humans?"

Everyone stared intently at the woman in the middle of the room, a light blue color illuminating the room made it hard to see the queen's expression aside from her sharp blood red eyes.

"We have to make a quick decision Your Majesty, but judging from your face, you've reluctantly decided." Another man whose body was also lean and built, his pink wavy hair framing his handsome face, spoke.

A door opening was heard, and the two men looked to see who entered the room.

"Oh hey, nice to see you back." The pink haired guy greeted the man in white cloak as he held up his arm in the air.

The man in white cloak narrowed his purple eyes on his comrade's arm. "I don't do that kind of greeting. You know that right?"

Pink haired made a face. "You're such a bundle of joy, you stuck up prince."

"I'm not a—"

"Hah! A stuck up prince. Of course you are!" The spiky man added more salt to the injury, much to the cloaked man's delight.

...

"I see."

Watanuki fixed his glasses as he mused. "A look a like of Dark Queen is the current queen of this world, who is the Light Queen. If we put two and two together, either the two is actually only one being, or the two are a mother and daughter."

"Well, it could be possible. But I'm pretty sure those two are related." Kuro commented.

"Either way, they don't want us knowing what's happening or who they are." Yuui joined in.

Doumeki entered the room with a plastic bag on his hand.

"Got everything?" Watanuki glanced up at his personal maid.

"I'm not a maid. Yeah I got everything."

Watanuki raised one brow in confusion. "I didn't say that." He grabbed the plastic from Doumeki and stood up, leaving the room. Before opening the door, he glanced back at the remaining group and said, "Let's just wait for her Majesty to clear everything up. One way or another, we're going to have to trust her."


	5. Obscured

**Chapter 5 - Obscured**

Madison Moore Town was once again visited by Syaoran, and brought Watanuki along with Black Mokona. It was rather impossible to see the very same being together in two separate bodies, one the son of his own copy, and the other born out of an irreversible distortion. The weight brought upon by the disaster has matured both of them in ways that they've become stronger, and both became such irreplaceable beings.

"Here," Syaoran stopped at a store's display where they found a replica of Sakura's feather in a glass encase. The feather still floated with it's pink color markings glowing.

"Wow, the exact same copy of it, huh?"

Syaoran nodded.

"Hmm," Watanuki stared at the feather for a long time, studying each line and marking. There was something odd about this feather that Watanuki couldn't put. A sharp ringing on his ears suddenly woke his every senses as he stared at the feather, until he stood frozen, his eyes glassed.

...

Drops of blood kept trickling a woman's face, distorting her beautiful face with something dark and malicious. Her bright red eyes shone even brighter when she shoved her sword straight through a beast's torso. The beast's body, now lifeless, fell limply on the floor at the woman's feet.

She stood there as rain pittered pattered on her fair skinned body, her black dress that had a cut from the base of her hips to the base of her feet, was soaked with a mixture of rain and blood. Her deep black knee length hair was a mess.

Maybe it was due to her killing spree, or maybe because of a problem that started every worst thing that happened in her kingdom, that she lost control of her knees, collapsing on the rough soil. Her blank eyes was unmoving, it's bright red color now dimmed into a dull red that looked almost grey. The pain was too much to bear that for a second she didn't understand how life works at all.

But of course, she knew it was going to happen. She knew that nothing good will last forever, not with her. She let go of her sword and it disappeared.

A flash of bright light and the scene changes.

It was dark, struggling to open her eyes. All she could feel was the slight tremor of her body, her face wet due to sad drops of tears from her closed eyes, seeping, as if the pain was begging to be released.

She struggled to breathe, moaning in torment, the turmoil of her nightmare had her on the brink of insanity, her heart beating erratically due to the agony.

Fear. Helplessness. Desperation. Loneliness.

Suddenly, her eyes opened and her sweating body sat upright. It appeared she was on a bed in her personal bedroom. She ran her fingers on her short brown hair and sighed. She got out of her bed and turned on the lights, then walked to her computer table, angling her mirror on the table towards her. The woman in the mirror had huge dark brown eyes, its pupils dilated. Her tanned skin covered with beads of sweat, her messy short hair sat on her head like a bird's nest.

She closed her eyes and breathe deeply. _It's okay_.

She opened her eyes, and a shrilling cry came from her mouth.

...

"Kimihiro! Are you okay?!"

Watanuki blinked, and saw the floating feather, still glowing.

He turned his head quickly at Syaoran, his face painted with terror. He was sweating as well as breathing rapidly. He stared at Syaoran's face for a long time until he calmed down, leaning on the cool glass that separates them from the glass case that held the feather.

Syaoran worriedly looked at his dear friend, his hand comfortingly on Watanuki's shoulder. When Watanuki just stood motionless, staring at the feather, he knew something was wrong. His eyes were glassed, as if seeing something else in that feather. No matter how many times he called Watanuki, his friend wouldn't budge nor blink at all.

He saw something. It was obvious.

"Are you alright now? What happened?"

Watanuki glanced up at Syaoran and pushed his glasses on the bridge of his nose. "Tell me everything you know of Dark Queen right now."

They discussed once again what happened yesterday in the very same city. They did acquire information, but if anything, it made even more unanswered questions. They didn't even get any information on Dark Queen.

"Why? What did you see?" Syaoran looked anxious at Watanuki.

"Well—"

Something caught Watanuki's eye from a distance. A tall woman in deep red kimono.

That had Watanuki running.

"Kimihiro! Wait!"

Watanuki chased after the woman, and found her in one of the market stalls.

It somehow disappointed him.

It was the Dark Queen grabbing an apple from the stalls, and took a bite from it. She paused and glanced behind her, her eyes making contact with Watanuki's.

Syaoran kept up with them and stopped beside Watanuki, hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.

The lady turned around at them, looking at them expectantly while munching on her apple.

"Sorry, I thought.."

"It's okay." Was her immediate reply. It's as if she knew that Watanuki mistook her for someone else.

They stood there staring at each other until she turned her head to the left so fast it looked like she snapped it. Puzzled, Watanuki and Syaoran did the same and felt a chill run through their backs.

"Stay here," her smooth velvet voice spoke.

Watanuki and Syaoran stared at her walking briskly towards whatever she saw. They both looked at each other and nodded, then followed the queen.

After running a few miles, they already lost sight of the queen. But evil presence could be felt, towards the end of the town, where a forest could be seen.

The two men went to the forest, thinking the queen went there. After running for quite awhile, the Dark Queen came into their view. By the way she held a staff in her hand and her stance and the gust of the wind, the fight was over.

"Hey, what happened?" Syaoran asked.

The lady closed her eyes in an indifferent manner.

"Don't worry about it."


	6. Brothers

Chapter 6 - Brothers

Fye was wiping the heavy ceramics that was used during dinner with a dry cloth after rinsing it. He was in charge with the kitchen, seeing as the queen he was so loyal to, liked to cook for them. Fye isn't really much of a cooking person, but he'd do anything to be of help to his dear queen.

He sighed, rubbing his crystal blue eyes in weary. He lacked sleep the night before. Sometimes, he couldn't succumb to the dreamworld, and always ended up watching his queen sleep. Admiration, as he calls it. He feared that his Majesty would get another nightmare, and it hurt to see the despair in the queen's eyes after she wakes up, distraught from the dream.

Fye stopped wiping the dishes dry when he heard footsteps coming. He gently placed it by the sink when he heard the door click and shut. Without turning around, he already knew who it was.

"Brother."

Fye lightly smiled. One way or another this was going to happen. But it isn't the right time for his twin younger brother to know the truth.

"Yes?" Fye went on to wipe the goblets this time.

"You know my purpose."

Fye stopped once again and sighed. Turning around, he faced his brother whose short hair was blonde, in stark contrast with his long deep black hair, tied loosely on the nape of his neck.

"And you know I'm not the person to ask."

Yuui's brows lined anxiously on his face. "I wanna know what happened to you."

Fye stared at his twin in a serious manner. "It wasn't easy Yuui. After falling like that, I really thought it was the end of me. I thought that I'd just disappear from the universe."

"And? How'd she find you? How come you're serving her?"

Fye closed his eyes, "I fainted, or well, I thought I did since I died. It was hard to explain. One moment I felt someone holding me close, then the next moment I woke up, found myself in the middle of the Royal Hall, being judged by the Queen."

"It was weird. I was scared, beyond scared. I faced death square on and then I was facing someone who scared me to death. Even the hall we were in gave me chills. there was this heavy weight in the room that I couldn't knock off. The Queen always looked so serious while doing the judgment. She'd look at you, _through_ you, and you won't even know she's looking at your soul. Looking at all the things you did. All the good deeds, all the sins. She saw what happened to us, Yuui. How we were trapped there. I realized she was the one who took me from the cold land and brought me here. I wasn't dead yet when she found me."

"_What?_"

"She can't save me Yuui."

Yuui stared at Fye in a crazy, furious manner.

"I mean, she can't meddle with what happened. The Queen's job is to govern and protect the dimensions. She isn't supposed to change fate."

"You would've lived!"

Fye shook his head, "I've accepted my fate Yuui. Yes, I died, and I'm sorry I made a choice that made you choose bad decisions. You were used by someone evil, and I couldn't do anything about it. I'm sorry."

Yuui tightened his fist in suppressed anger, his knuckles almost white. Fye looked at his brother sadly, "I'm happy where I am, Yuui. I don't know if the choices I made for myself, for the both of us, were the right thing. But what I do know is that I'm happy by my Queen's side, and I'd do anything to be of service to her."

Yuui calmed himself and breathe deeply. After what seemed like hours, he asked calmly. The very first question that he wanted to ask ever since he saw his brother. "Why is your hair black?"

Fye blinked in surprise and recovered quickly. He took a few long strands of his black hair and gazed at it lovingly. "It's a symbol of loyalty. Of change."

...

Kurogane took another sip of his sake peacefully. He chose to drink in the porch, gazing at the starry night. With his eyes closed, he thought of his princess back in his world. He missed her, no matter how much the little girl frustrates him.

The glass door slid open and came Yuui, who plopped down beside Kurogane.

Kurogane glanced at Yuui and knew from the look of his face that something was troubling him. A moment of silence passed, neither one eager to share or ask.

Kuro sipped his sake and paused, then held it in front of Yuui. Yuui shook his head lightly and smiled, "No thanks. You know I'm no drinker."

"With the way you look right now, you probably need one."

Yuui lost his smile and his mask. "I'm confused."

"Why's that?"

"I know I should be happy seeing him, but somehow I don't feel that way."

Silence passed before them.

"Because no matter how you see it, he's dead."

Yuui smiled sadly.


End file.
